Starving for Justice

I’m doing a study on justice. When I saw the reaction of so many to one wicked man’s death, it aroused a strong curiosity. We are a nation starving for justice, starving for wrong things to be made right, and the wicked to be punished. But as Zephaniah 2:1 says, we are “a nation without a clue about what it wants.” Our definition of justice and even wickedness is so skewed, we don’t even know for what we are crying. We get one morsel of justice and a nation throws a party. We are starving for justice. He who holds the scepter of justice: He is coming.

Anyway, for right now I am just getting some verses together. I’ll probably add to it later…

The Need for Justice:The way of peace they know not, and there is no justice or right in their goings. They have made them into crooked paths; whoever goes in them does not know peace. Therefore are justice and right far from us, and righteousness and salvation do not overtake us. We expectantly wait for light, but [only] see darkness; for brightness, but we walk in obscurity and gloom.We grope for the wall like the blind, yes, we grope like those who have no eyes. We stumble at noonday as in the twilight; in dark places and among those who are full of life and vigor, we are as dead men. We all groan and growl like bears and moan plaintively like doves. We look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us. Is 59:8-11

The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous,so that justice has become perverted.

God Loves Justice:For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face. Psalm 11:7

O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure. Psalm 7:9

The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. Psalm 33:5

Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established fairness. You have acted with justice and righteousness throughout Israel.Psalm 99:4

What is Justice?Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!” Deut 27:19

Malachi 3:5 “So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty.

Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. Ps 36:6

10 The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.11 Then at last everyone will say, “There truly is a reward for those who live for God;
surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.” Ps 58:10-11

“In the end I will turn things around for the people. I’ll give them a language undistorted, unpolluted, Words to address God in worship and, united, to serve me with their shoulders to the wheel. They’ll come from beyond the Ethiopian rivers, they’ll come praying— All my scattered, exiled people will come home with offerings for worship. You’ll no longer have to be ashamed of all those acts of rebellion.

I’ll have gotten rid of your arrogant leaders. No more pious strutting on my holy hill! I’ll leave a core of people among you who are poor in spirit— What’s left of Israel that’s really Israel. They’ll make their home in God. This core holy people will not do wrong. They won’t lie, won’t use words to flatter or seduce. Content with who they are and where they are, unanxious, they’ll live at peace.”

Zeph 3:9–13

Who Can Judge?

Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, Jn 5:22

For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:31

What to Do?

3 Seek God, all you quietly disciplined people who live by God’s justice. Seek God’s right ways. Seek a quiet and disciplined life. Perhaps you’ll be hidden on the Day of God’s anger. Zeph 2:3 (The Message)